Are you planning a trip to the Disneyland Resort this April? Here are a few quick tips on merchandise events you don’t want to miss!

April 3-5: Precious Moments doll designer and artist Linda Rick will be on hand from 12-10 p.m., each day, at World of Disney Store in the Downtown Disney District, as we celebrate the release of her Easter collection, among other fan favorites! Learn more here.

April 4-5: Join us as we welcome Jere Dean from Urban Octopus, April 4 – 5 and 25 – 26, from 1-4 p.m., each day, at WonderGround Gallery in the Downtown Disney District. Learn more here.

April 17: Prepare to assemble for the new Vinylmation limited edition set! What is it? I can simply say it’s ‘smashing.’ Disney Design Group artist Thomas Scott will be on hand for a special appearance and signing from 10 a.m. – noon at D Street in the Downtown Disney District. Learn more here.

April 18: Join us as we welcome back artist J. Scott Campbell who will be on hand for a special appearance and signing from 7–9 p.m.at WonderGround Gallery in the Downtown Disney District as we celebrate the release of his new and out-of-this-world artwork. Learn more here.

April 25: Join us as we celebrate the release of “The Hidden Mickeys of Disneyland” book by Bill Scollon. Bill will be on hand for a special appearance and signing from 9–11 a.m. at Disneyana inside Disneyland park. Learn more here.

Artist in Residence: Appearing at WonderGround Gallery in the Downtown Disney District throughout the month is artist Matt Spangler. Look for artist showcases on the following dates: April 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 19, 24, 25, 26 from 6-10 p.m., and April 17–18 from 1-5 p.m. Learn more here.

Today we’re looking down Main Street, U.S.A., as work continues on bringing Walt’s dream of Disneyland to life.

I’ve always had such admiration for the people who literally put hammer to nail to build the park. Looking at these photos, I can’t help but wonder what their stories were and what pride they must have had in their unique place in Disney history.

Spring is here! Flowers are in bloom, eggs will soon be hidden and you may even find yourself catching a glimpse of a bunny or two. We did! These magnificent treats will debut in candy kitchen locations around the Disneyland Resort this April, so be sure to “hop” by!

If you’re curious as to how these creations came to life, I have the inside scoop. The Bunny apples are dipped in caramel, then, are intricately dressed with mini marshmallows to create the effect for the mouth and tail. Dip them in white chocolate, add a little sanding sugar (especially on the top of the marshmallow ears). The final touch, a few well-placed (and sometimes colorful) chocolate candies that create the eyes and nose.

Of course, the egg pops are a treat in themselves! The egg-shaped cake pops have been dipped in white chocolate and dressed with milk chocolate discs to create the ears. Finally with the help of some (colorful pixie dust) sanding sugar, and some simple decoration, they’re set!

If you’re curious what gourmet apple will line the shelves, it will once again be the dark chocolate raspberry apple. That’s right Disney fans, it’s back!

The apples will be smothered in caramel, enrobed in dark chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate and raspberry infused white chocolate. You want more? Great! We literally have you covered from top to bottom. How? The top of the apple, as well as the bottom third of the apple have been encased with a mixture of white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and chopped roasted almonds.

Last month, on her 90th birthday, Irene Jewell, legendary dancer and wife of Disney cinematographer Stuart Jewell, visited Disneyland park for the first time. Known for her impressive height, Irene performed under the name Ricki Covette in the course of her 30-year career. She later met Disney cinematographer Stuart Jewell, known for his camera work on Disney’s “True-Life Adventures,” including “The Living Desert” and “The Vanishing Prairie.” He also produced much of the now-iconic time-lapse footage from the construction of Disneyland.

But despite her own legendary status and connection to Disneyland history, Irene had never visited the park! So she thought her 90th birthday would be the perfect occasion.

Irene arrived with her “Special Complimentary Main Gate Admission” ticket in hand, which she held onto for years. (She got to keep it, by the way.) She went on to enjoy a day of fun, including Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and “it’s a small world” – three attractions she had specifically been looking forward to.

When I asked whether Stuart has shared any of his Disneyland memories with her, Irene said, “He told me about opening day – they didn’t expect so many people! It was getting crowded, so he grabbed a camera and took a picture of Ronald Reagan, Bob Cummings and Art Linkletter that appeared in the paper.”

If you’d like to see some of Stuart Jewell’s work, take a look at this time-lapse video, which we shared earlier this week. In the first few seconds, you can even see Stuart and his team prepping and installing the cameras!

I’m hoppy to let you know our Disneyland Resort culinary team has been working on some Easter offerings that are sure to put a “spring” in your step!

Special menu items will be available throughout Disneyland park. At Plaza Inn, look for a pan-seared salmon served with a Chardonnay dill cream sauce, rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables on April 5. Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante will feature three street-style tacos with beef, chicken and carnitas on soft corn tortillas garnished with cilantro and onion, topped with salsa verde. At Bengal BBQ, look for a Linguica (smoke-cured pork sausage) and pineapple skewer.

One of my favorite Easter traditions is decorating eggs, and at the Springtime Roundup you can decorate your own Easter-themed cookies with our cookie decorating kit. If you get hungry while you’re at the Springtime Roundup, you can pick up one of these tasty snacks: juicy strawberries with chocolate dip, Mickey-shaped pretzels, strawberry twists, cotton candy and hot dogs.

For a limited time, a sneak peek of “Tomorrowland” will be presented with special in-theater effects at the Imagination Pavilion theater at Epcot and the Tomorrowland Theater at Disneyland park.

Directed by Oscar® winner Brad Bird and starring Academy Award® winner George Clooney, “Tomorrowland” tells the story of a jaded scientist and an optimistic teen who embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space. “Tomorrowland” features a screenplay by “Lost” writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Lindelof & Bird & Jeff Jensen.

The Disney Parks-exclusive “Tomorrowland” sneak peek begins in mid-April at Epcot and Disneyland park. With every second that ticks by, the future is running out, so be sure to take advantage of this special opportunity before “Tomorrowland” opens in theaters on May 22, 2015.

Make reservations at any Disneyland Resort hotel from March 25 through May 7, 2015, to save 20 percent on premium rooms and 15 percent on standard rooms on Sunday through Thursday nights from April 5 to June 16, 2015.

Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at the same hotel. Travel must be completed by 06/17/15. Ask about savings in other room types. Not valid on previously booked rooms. Advance reservations required. Subject to availability as the number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Excludes applicable fees and taxes. Limit two (2) rooms per reservation and five (5) people maximum per room. Not valid in combination with any other hotel discounts or offers. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Separate Theme Park admission required to enjoy “Frozen Fun” and the Parks.

UPDATE 3/27/15: The Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration Merchandise Event has sold out and the wait list is now full.

Great news, Disney fans! The merchandise event team just revealed details about their special Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration kick-off event taking place May 20-21, 2015. What will it entail? Shopping, seminars and entertainment are in the mix, but here’s the breakdown on everything else.

Diamond Package – $100

Event admission includes panel discussion, signings and other entertainment and activities as follows:

Tickets for the Diamond Package are $100 per person and are limited to availability. No discounts apply.

Reservations for the Diamond Celebration Merchandise Event will be accepted only via www.DisneyParksMerchandise.com beginning Thursday, March 26, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. (Pacific Time). Tip: Only one (1) Guest per reservation is allowed. It will be necessary for each Guest to register individually.

So join us as we reminisce amongst friends, share cherished memories of the first 60 years and look forward to the next dazzling decades of our beloved Resort.

As we prepare to celebrate 60 years of memories and magic during the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration, we’ve been looking back at key moments in our history – times when Disneyland pushed the limits of what was possible and created new, innovative experiences for our guests. Searching our archives, we came across this amazing time lapse footage of Disneyland construction. Blink and you might miss some amazing moments!

My favorite parts are the clock tower on the Main Street Train Station being lifted into place and the first guests flowing through the turnstiles. What are yours?

See more about the construction of Disneyland park in George’s “Building the Dream” series:

We only have a few months to go before the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration begins. Is everyone as excited as I am? It was so tough to decide what to show you for a first look. So, I thought I would take you behind the scenes, into our Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration showroom, where you can see for yourselves some of the amazing items headed your way this May at the Disneyland Resort.

There’s so much more to see, so keep watching the Disney Parks Blog for Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration merchandise updates. And join the conversation with the hashtag #Disneyland60.

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